Harry Potter and the Knights of the Roundtable
Chapter 4: Snape's Punishment, Term Begins, and the Final Test
Severus Snape cowered at his master's feet. It had been three months since their failure to capture Potter at his aunt and uncle's house and they were still no closer to finding him. Next to him, Lucius Malfoy was also on his knees.
"Fools! You failed to locate a simple boy!" Voldemort growled. "You shall be punished for your failure!" He pointed his wand at them and shouted "Crucio!" Snape and Malfoy collapsed, writing under the pain of the curse. After several minutes, Voldemort lifted the curse.
"M-My lord, please accept my apologies." Snape said. "But the boy is nowhere to be found. Even my sources in the Ministry and the Order do not know where he is. My spy reports that Dumbledore himself is very worried." Voldemort smiled slightly.
"Good. Good. However, we must locate the boy!" he said. "He is the single greatest threat to our victory. Severus, Lucius. You are forgiven…this time. Do not fail me again."
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September 1st was a dark and melancholy day. The atmosphere of fear and uncertainty that had fallen over the school in the wake of Harry's disappearance had only grown as the days past without word and the increase in Deatheater attacks. No one was unaffected, including the professors.
The mood had not improved now, several weeks after the start of term. The professors had noticed a great drop in the grades of the students. Most surprising was Hermione. For the last six years she had been the top student in Hogwarts, leading to her current appointment as Head Girl. Since Harry's disappearance however, her grades had slumped slow low that if not for the extenuating circumstances, her position as Head Girl would be in serious jeopardy.
Hermione was currently sitting in Professor McGonnagal's office.
"Miss Granger, I'm sure you're aware of why I asked to see you." She asked.
"Yes professor." Hermione said, quietly. "My grades."
"We all understand that you are upset about Harry. We all are. But that doesn't explain why your grades have dropped so dramatically. There must be a reason other then the concern for you friend." McGonnagal said. Hermione burst into tears.
"T-That's just it p-pro-professor." Hermione sobbed. "He's more than a friend." She stopped for a moment. "I-I-love him. And now I might not ever get the chance to tell him." McGonnagal's heart nearly broke. So this was the reason for Hermione's downward spiral. Upon reflection, Professor McGonnagal supposed they ought to have seen it before now. Harry and Hermione had always been closer to each other than to Ron. Even during the brief few months that Hermione had date Ron last term the two did not seem as close as her and Harry.
"Miss Granger." McGonnagal said. "Hermione. You must get a hold of yourself. Harry will return to us eventually. I believe this with all my heart. He is seen and done too much to be beaten." Hermione slowly stopped crying. She pulled a handkerchief out of her pocket and wiped her eyes.
"I hope you're right, professor." Hermione said, weakly.
"Let me offer you a piece of advice, dear." McGonnagal said. "When Harry returns, do not waste a single minute. Tell him how you feel. I have the feeling that you will be pleasantly surprised at his reaction."
Ron paced around the common room nervously. In an attempt to lighten the dark mood around Hogwarts, the professors had decided to hold a Halloween dance. Over the last couple of weeks, Ron, Ginny, Hermione, and Draco had begun to become good friends with Jennifer, Jason, Eric, and Moira. In fact, Ginny and Eric were now dating, as were Draco and Moira. Ron had developed a crush on Jennifer and wanted to ask her to the dance.
Ron was never very good around girls. That was why he was now pacing, trying to come up with the right words to ask Jennifer to the dance. He sighed. He wished Harry were here to talk to him. As good a friend as Draco and Hermione were, he still didn't feel comfortable talking about his love life with them. Especially in Hermione's case, since they had dated at one time and since she was now suffering over Harry's disappearance.
"Dammit! Why is this so hard? I talk to Jennifer all the time. Why can't I ask here to the dance?!" he said aloud. He heard a gasp behind him. Turning he found Jennifer standing there, her had covering her mouth. Ron began to blush furiously.
"How-How long have you been standing there?" he asked.
"Long enough to hear what you said." Jennifer said.
"So how about it? W-Will you go to the dance with me?" Ron asked. Jennifer smiled and walked over to Ron.
"I would love to you to the dance with you." She said, slipping her arms around his neck and giving him a small kiss on the lips. Then she pulled away and headed up to her dorm, leaving Ron standing in the middle of the Common Room, gaping.
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"Harry." Merlin's voice called from behind him. Harry was currently sitting in his quarters, looking over a photo album Hermione had given him. It contained pictures of the trio of their last six years. Harry looked up.
"Yes?" Harry asked.
"Harry, your training is almost complete. You should be able to return to your friends soon." Merlin said. Harry smiled. In the past four and a half months he had learned a great many things. In addition to mastering magical and muggle combat, he had learned a great deal about leadership, tactics, healing and the arts. But most important to Harry had been his lessons with Lady Guinevere. She had taught him to dance, as well as other things that now gave him the confidence to approach Hermione about his feelings for her when he returned. "However, before you leave, you must complete one final test."
"What kind of test?" Harry asked. Merlin smiled.
"A test that will determine you worthiness as the Heir to Arthur." Merlin answered. "But I cannot tell you anything more. Please present yourself in the Great Hall in the morning." Merlin then got up and left, leaving a puzzled Harry behind.
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The next morning Harry awoke and dressed in his Mage-Knight uniform. He slowly made his way down to the great hall, glancing around nervously as he went. He had been up late trying to figure out what kind of test he would be facing.
As he approached the Great Hall, he could see too figures, but could not make them out as they had their backs turned. He entered the hall and walked towards them, stopping a few feet away. He immediately recognized one of the men as Lancelot, based on his uniform. The other man Harry still did not recognize. Lancelot turned around and addressed Harry.
"Harry." Lancelot said. "I'm afraid I have some bad news. We have been monitoring your world while you were here. I don't know how to tell you this, but there has been an attack on Hogwarts." Harry's stomach immediately dropped. "There have been many casualties. Including your friends Ron, Ginny, Draco, and Hermione." The last name slammed into Harry like a freight train.
"How?" he managed to say.
"They were not killed immediately in the attack. They were captured by Voldemort's forces and tortured. Hermione was also raped before she was killed." Fury began rising in Harry. "We have captured the person responsible." Lancelot said, his eyes wandering to the other man. He walked over and turned the figure around. It was Snape. Harry stared at his ex-Potions Master, hate filling up his eyes.
"He is yours to deal with as you see fit." Lancelot said. "You have the right to vengeance." For a few moments it seemed as though Harry was about to launch himself at Snape and kill him with his own hands. Then the hate in Harry's eyes began to subside.
"I can't murder him." Harry said. "He deserves to be punished, yes, but not out of vengeance. He deserves to have his day in court. I'm sorry." Harry hung his head. He was sure that Lancelot must think him a coward, not being able to take vengeance on the man who was responsible for the deaths of those he cared for.
"You have passed the test." Merlin's voice said. Harry's head snapped to see the figure of Snape slowly change into that of Merlin. Lancelot was standing next to him, grinning.
"Y-You mean that was a test?" Harry asked. "What about my" He was cut off by Merlin.
"You're friends are fine, though they miss you terribly." Merlin said. "It was only a test. You see Harry; the hardest thing for man to do is to separate justice from vengeance. By refusing to kill the man you thought responsible for the deaths of your friends outright, and instead seeking justice, you have proven yourself worthy of being Arthur's Heir. For it is the concept of freedom and justice for which Arthur and the Knights of the Roundtable defended. So too shall it be for you and the new Knights of the Roundtable. Always remember this."
"I will." Harry promised. Merlin smiled.
"Now, your training is complete. I'm sure you are anxious to get back to Hogwarts and your friends, especially Miss Granger." Merlin said with a twinkle in his eye. Harry blushed slightly. "You can return to them tomorrow." Harry immediately broke out into a large grin.